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East Zorra-Tavistock · Election 2026

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Mayor

2 candidates · 1 seat · East Zorra-Tavistock

Change candidatesDon Edmiston · Philip Schaefer

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Taxes & spendingRead full answers Don EdmistonPublic position · 2026-08-19Calls for County decisions to reflect what households can afford.Philip SchaeferPublic position · 2026-09-17Favours the lowest workable tax increase, with cuts if required.

What would you change in the budget, what would it cost, and how would you pay for it?

Philip Schaefer

Serving now
Mayor
2026 election
Mayor · Certified

Candidate account

2026-09-17

Favours the lowest workable tax increase, with cuts if required.

Proposed action
Avoid using reserves solely to suppress one year’s increase.

Context and limits

No fixed percentage cap is offered.

Candidate statement published elsewhere

2026-09-17

Opposes drawing down reserves to make one year’s tax increase artificially low.

Authority
The mayor can propose and advocate; council decisions and any outside approvals remain necessary.
Still to answer
  • Which reserve withdrawals would you still consider justified?
Reasoning
Says later taxpayers would face the correction.
Roads & infrastructureRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferNo verified position found in reviewed sources

Which roads or infrastructure would you prioritize, and when?

Growth & planningRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferPublic position · 2026-09-17Supports infill, additional residential units and greater density to protect farmland.

Where should growth happen, and what conditions would you require?

Philip Schaefer

Serving now
Mayor
2026 election
Mayor · Certified

Candidate account

2026-09-17

Supports infill, additional residential units and greater density to protect farmland.

Proposed action
Lead the township secondary-plan process.

Context and limits

Questions the scale of growth projections while expecting further growth.

Candidate statement published elsewhere

2026-09-17

Rejects prime farmland for data centres and wants resource, noise, infrastructure and planning impacts examined.

Authority
The mayor can propose and advocate; council decisions and any outside approvals remain necessary.
HousingRead full answers Don EdmistonPublic position · 2026-08-19Criticizes the County purchase of the former Woodstock YMCA building.Philip SchaeferPublic position · 2026-09-17Identifies affordable and purpose-built rental housing as priorities.

What would you do to make housing more available and affordable?

Downtown & businessRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferNo verified position found in reviewed sources

What would you change for local businesses and the downtown?

Children & recreationRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferNo verified position found in reviewed sources

What would you improve for children, recreation and community spaces?

Public servicesRead full answers Don EdmistonPublic position · 2026-08-19Criticizes increased garbage bag-tag prices.Philip SchaeferNo verified position found in reviewed sources

Which public services would you improve, and how?

Public accountabilityRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferPublic position · 2026-09-17Says residents should be able to discuss decisions and their rationale.

How will you explain your decisions and report on your promises?

Water & environmentRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferPublic position · 2026-09-17Opposes turbines and large solar projects on prime farmland; supports rooftop solar.

What will you do to protect water and the local environment?

Philip Schaefer

Serving now
Mayor
2026 election
Mayor · Certified

Candidate statement published elsewhere

2026-09-17

Supports climate adaptation such as stormwater ponds; is less willing to fund emissions measures without taxpayer savings or net benefit.

Authority
The mayor can propose and advocate; council decisions and any outside approvals remain necessary.
Still to answer
  • What benefit test would you require for each proposed climate expenditure?
Community lifeRead full answers Don EdmistonNo verified position found in reviewed sourcesPhilip SchaeferNo verified position found in reviewed sources

What would you do to strengthen life in this community?

Publication standards

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Public position
An attributable statement with its linked source. A proposal is separate from a result.
No public answer found
This record has no attributable answer to show. The person can add one or supply a source.
Unanswered delivered question
A delivered request is recorded separately, with its response history.
Changed position
Clarifications can update the current answer while the earlier public record remains understandable.

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